MOSCOW, May 23 (KUNA) — The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) announced Monday that Jabhat Al-Nusra, Al-Qaeda-affiliated Syrian group, is preparing a major assault on the northern Syrian city of Aleppo. “Near Aleppo, leaders of Jabhat Al-Nusra are finishing forming a strike grouping (more than 6,000 militants) in order to block the government troops in the city by striking from the south and cut off the corridor to Nubol city in the north,” the MoD warned in a press statement. It also accused Jabhat Al-Nusra of breaching the ceasefire agreement and shelling Ard al-Wata and Kinsibba (Latakia province), Salamiya (Hama province), Marj Sultan and Bleliye (Damascus province).The statement noted that, the government troops brushed the so-called Islamic state militants away and took command heights on Jebel al-Mazar and Jebel Kaliyat Al-Hirr in Homs province. Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported security raids, detentions and pro-government forces attacks against displaced people in the northern city of Tartous after a day after a series of suicide attacks that hit the city, left dozens dead. (end) tk.ibi